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A predestination primer
This booklet will be welcomed by all those who have been puzzled by the Biblical doctrine of predestination, as well as by those who are called upon to clarify this concept for others. It should be distributed widely and freely. This booklet is excellent for group study and as a basis for discussion. 1. Definitions; 2. Total Depravity; 3. Inability; 4. The Divine Initiative; 5. Predestination; 6. Objections to Predestination; 7. Am I Predestined to Eternal Life? Some Bible verses Dealing with Predestination.
51 pages, Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 1963
About the author
John H. Gerstner
68 books22 followersJohn Henry Gerstner was a Professor of Church History at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary and an authority on the life and theology of Jonathan Edwards.
He earned both a Master of Divinity of degree and a Master of Theology degree from Westminster Theological Seminary. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Harvard University in 1945. He was originally ordained in the United Presbyterian Church of North America, then (due to church unions) with the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and the Presbyterian Church (USA). In 1990, he left the PCUSA for the Presbyterian Church in America.
Gerstner counted among his students, noted author and preacher, R. C. Sproul, founder of Ligonier Ministries, Dr. Arthur Lindsley, Senior Fellow at the C.S. Lewis Institute, and Dr. Walter (Wynn) Kenyon, Professor of Biblical Studies and Philosophy; Chair of the Philosophy Department and Division of Ministry and Human Services at Belhaven University.
In addition to the books Gerstner had written, he also recorded several lengthy audio courses giving a survey of theology, church history, and Christian apologetics, which are distributed through Ligonier Ministries. Gerstner was non-dispensationalist.
In 1976, a Festschrift was published in Gerstner's honor. Soli Deo Gloria: Essays in Reformed Theology included contributions by Cornelius Van Til, J. I. Packer, Philip Edgecumbe Hughes, John Murray, R. C. Sproul, John Warwick Montgomery, and Roger Nicole.
He earned both a Master of Divinity of degree and a Master of Theology degree from Westminster Theological Seminary. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Harvard University in 1945. He was originally ordained in the United Presbyterian Church of North America, then (due to church unions) with the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and the Presbyterian Church (USA). In 1990, he left the PCUSA for the Presbyterian Church in America.
Gerstner counted among his students, noted author and preacher, R. C. Sproul, founder of Ligonier Ministries, Dr. Arthur Lindsley, Senior Fellow at the C.S. Lewis Institute, and Dr. Walter (Wynn) Kenyon, Professor of Biblical Studies and Philosophy; Chair of the Philosophy Department and Division of Ministry and Human Services at Belhaven University.
In addition to the books Gerstner had written, he also recorded several lengthy audio courses giving a survey of theology, church history, and Christian apologetics, which are distributed through Ligonier Ministries. Gerstner was non-dispensationalist.
In 1976, a Festschrift was published in Gerstner's honor. Soli Deo Gloria: Essays in Reformed Theology included contributions by Cornelius Van Til, J. I. Packer, Philip Edgecumbe Hughes, John Murray, R. C. Sproul, John Warwick Montgomery, and Roger Nicole.
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July 17, 2024
A FAMOUS REFORMED SCHOLAR DEALS WITH THE "DIFFICULT" QUESTIONS
John Gerstner (1914-1996) was a Professor of Church History at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. He begins this short 1960 book by defining "foreordination," as "God's ordaining, or decreeing, or determining, or appointing, from eternity WHATSOEVER is to come to pass." (Pg. 5) By contrast, Predestination is "that part of foreordination which deals with the actions of free moral agents, be they angels, men, or devils." (Pg. 6)
He argues that "Before conversion, (men) prefer not coming to Jesus to coming to Jesus. If a person, therefore, does not come to Jesus Christ it will be because of his own indisposition... (and) will indicate that God has not seen fit to overcome that indisposition. He has rather chosen for reasons known only to himself, to leave this individual to himself..." (Pg. 8) He later notes, "Since there is nothing new to God... God had from all eternity decided to change the hearts of those whose hearts are actually changed." (Pg. 23)
He asks, "How was (Adam), endowed with original righteousness, so made that he was capable of sin? I, for one, do not know the answer to that question. Furthermore, I have never heard or read anyone who gives a satisfactory answer to that question." (Pg. 10) He also asks, "why does God strive and work and present the gospel ... to persons whom he knows are going to reject every overture which he makes?... Predestination... does not bring a problem like this into existence... and is made neither better nor worse... by the doctrine of predestination." (Pg. 36)
He argues, "If God does predestinate, can man be free? The answer to that is a simple and blunt 'Yes.'" If one objects, Clark counters, "what proof is there that if God predestinates something to come to pass then he has to FORCE someone else, some free or moral agent, to do it?... just why is it that if God predestinates, man can not be free and must be forced?" (Pg. 25-26)
Gerster packs a great deal of tight argumentation into a small volume; this small book is a highly recommended study of this topic.
John Gerstner (1914-1996) was a Professor of Church History at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. He begins this short 1960 book by defining "foreordination," as "God's ordaining, or decreeing, or determining, or appointing, from eternity WHATSOEVER is to come to pass." (Pg. 5) By contrast, Predestination is "that part of foreordination which deals with the actions of free moral agents, be they angels, men, or devils." (Pg. 6)
He argues that "Before conversion, (men) prefer not coming to Jesus to coming to Jesus. If a person, therefore, does not come to Jesus Christ it will be because of his own indisposition... (and) will indicate that God has not seen fit to overcome that indisposition. He has rather chosen for reasons known only to himself, to leave this individual to himself..." (Pg. 8) He later notes, "Since there is nothing new to God... God had from all eternity decided to change the hearts of those whose hearts are actually changed." (Pg. 23)
He asks, "How was (Adam), endowed with original righteousness, so made that he was capable of sin? I, for one, do not know the answer to that question. Furthermore, I have never heard or read anyone who gives a satisfactory answer to that question." (Pg. 10) He also asks, "why does God strive and work and present the gospel ... to persons whom he knows are going to reject every overture which he makes?... Predestination... does not bring a problem like this into existence... and is made neither better nor worse... by the doctrine of predestination." (Pg. 36)
He argues, "If God does predestinate, can man be free? The answer to that is a simple and blunt 'Yes.'" If one objects, Clark counters, "what proof is there that if God predestinates something to come to pass then he has to FORCE someone else, some free or moral agent, to do it?... just why is it that if God predestinates, man can not be free and must be forced?" (Pg. 25-26)
Gerster packs a great deal of tight argumentation into a small volume; this small book is a highly recommended study of this topic.
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